"Hey, Mary! How's Peter doing this morning?" Ellie bounced in place at the counter, grinning at the woman behind it. The older woman started to sign Ellie in as a visitor.

Mary is 50 years old with salt and pepper hair, and lively gray eyes. She was a sweet thing whom Eris adored.

"Pretty well. He's certainly responding and communicating better than he was before you came along. Even if it's just his eyes. He is very much aware of his surroundings now." Mary smiled as she watched Ellie bounce in place.

"Though, that new girl has been mighty interested in your lovely Peter. Asking all sorts of questions." Mary commented as she finished checking Ellie in.

Ellie frowned. "Oh? What type of questions?"

Mary returned her frown with one of her own. "She asked to be put in charge of his care but was shot down immediately. She's also been asking why he's here, who he is exactly, how long he has been here, how catatonic he is... things like that. It's quite concerning. The other girls and I have been dodging her questions left and right. We've tried to keep her away from him."

Ellie bit back a snarl. "She sounds obsessed."

Mary shook her head. "That's what we believed as well. But don't worry about that right now. Go! Spend some time with your second Daddy." She waved Ellie away.

"Oh, ew! Mary! Don't say it like that! He's my second father, not some sex friend." They both burst into giggles.

"Besides, I ran into his nephew yesterday. I'm not sure he even knows Peter is alive. I plan on telling him. Oh! And he's so freaking hot, Mary! I swear he sent my ovaries into overdrive!" Ellie fanned her face and stuck out her tongue as she feigned panting.

"Oh boy. You plan on trying to nab him?" Mary giggled as she leaned forward, whispering as if they were sharing a deep dark secret.

Ellie snorted and waved her hand. "Pft! As if. The dude is totally out of my league. He is like a solid 10 while I'm a measly 4."

Mary smiled sadly. "Oh, honey. You don't give yourself enough credit. You put super models to shame."

Ellie shook her head. "I look like a child, Mary. Who wants to be with someone who will cause them to be mistaken as a pedophile? And! Most men prefer women with bowling balls on their chests, or at least something big enough to grab. I'm like an adolescent who has to wear training bras because she's too small for anything else." She complained.

Mary just shook her head. Ellie would never see herself the way others did. The young twenty two year old was gorgeous and definitely did not look like a child. Yes, she was very petite and had creamy pale skin, but she had big expressive whiskey colored eyes hidden behind thick, dark lashes. She had soft barely noticeable freckles splashed across her nose and the tops of her cheeks.

Her bow shaped lips, glistened with her usual lip gloss and luscious chocolate curls that tumbled down her back. She looked exactly like her mother.

Ellie waved to Mary before making her way through the door to the right of the counter. She was headed on autopilot to Peter's room.

She paused in the doorway, spotting the new and suspicious nurse standing behind Peter's wheelchair, no doubt freaking the man out.

"Just what are you doing in here, Jessica? I thought Mary told you to leave Peter alone." Her voice startled the woman. She spun around, orange hair whacking her in the face as she quickly hid something behind her back. Something that looked suspiciously like a dog whistle. It confused Ellie, why did the woman have it?

"Oh! What are you doing here, Ellie? I thought it was your day off?" Jessica plastered on a sickeningly fake smile, avoiding the question entirely.

"Uh-huh." Ellie mumbled. "I'm visiting my father, like I do on most of my days off." She glared. Ellie did not trust this lady at all.

"Father? But he's a Hale?" She sounded confused, which caused Ellie to snort.

"Yeah, and? The state made me his guardian when he was considered abandoned by his last familial guardian. I had my father work his magic and get me custody of Peter. I am his medical proxy. I make all of his medical choices for him until he is of sound mind and body to do so himself." Ellie ground out as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Now could you skedaddle? You aren't allowed near him anymore." She glared at the obviously fake redhead before her.

Jessica dropped her sweet act and glared before stomping out of the room and out of her sight.

Ellie shook her head and made her way around to Peter's chair. She knelt down in front of him and grasped his hand fondly. "Good morning, Peter. Sorry I couldn't save you from her sooner. She gives me the creeps."

She smiled as his blue eyes shifted from the scene outside his window to meet hers.

"There you are." She grinned and his head tilted ever so slightly as he acknowledged her. "Your scars are beginning to heal." She giggled. "I'm glad."

"Mary and I will try our absolute best to keep the creeper away. Otherwise, I'll have Dad get us a restraining order on her ass." She reached up and combed his brown locks back and out of his eyes.

"Hmm. I'll have to cut your hair soon. You like it better short, yeah?" She questioned.

She grinned as Peter blinked once.

"Right. Well, I have some news. Not all of it is good, I'm afraid." She frowned sadly before continuing.

"Bad news first. Derek is in town." She shushed him softly, trying her best to comfort him as he made a weak noise in the back of his throat, eyes widening. "I know, I know. He went to the cops looking for Laura. Apparently her last known location was here before she stopped answering his calls." She bit her lip as he looked absolutely devastated.

Though his face didn't give away his feelings, his eyes sure did. She had gotten really good at reading the expressions his eyes gave her.

"I... I don't think he knows you are even alive. I truly believe Laura didn't tell him."

His hand twitched and she clasped it between both of hers. His eyes softened slightly and one word rang through her head and seeped into her very soul.

'Pack.'

She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek before rubbing hers gently against his. She didn't know exactly why she did it, but it was like an instinct... Something to help sooth him. As she pulled back, his eyes flashed that glowing red she had been seeing more and more recently. It used to be electric blue only a week ago.

"That's right, Peter. I won't leave you. I'm not sure exactly what it is you are, but I'm not scared. We're Pack, you and I. I won't be scared away so easily. Neither Stiles, Dad or myself will ever abandon you. You're family now. You're stuck with us, big guy." She whispered, just in case anyone was listening in on them.

"But that's not all. Dad thinks the body they found might be Laura. Though, they can't identify her or know for sure without the top half of her body." Ellie smiled sadly as Peter looked off to the side and out the window.

"Want the good news now?" She asked softly. She waited patiently for Peter to get his thoughts together. When he looked back at her, she smiled brighter hoping to raise his mood.

"The construction on the new and improved Hale-Stilinski house is nearly complete. Bigger and better and far away from the old Hale place. It'll be move-in-ready by the end of the month. Then, you, me, Dad and Stiles can move in there together. And there's plenty of woods surrounding it for you to enjoy. Our Pack will be happy and warm."

She giggled as his eyes basically sparkled at the thought of getting out of this place. She gazed to his right side and bit her lip. She hoped they were able to get him out before the burn scars healed completely. It'd be harder to hide if any of the nurses noticed his accelerated healing.

She pressed a kiss to his cheek once more and stood up. She sat on his bed and pulled the book out of her backpack.

"So, this one is called Hatchet. It was one of Mum's favorites. I think you'll enjoy it too." She opened the book and began reading, smiling as she combed her fingers gently though Peter's hair, nails scraping softly at his scalp.